Secondary Menu

Secondary Menu

Bike Monkey Athlete Profile: Josh Sampson

Josh Sampson might be new to the Bike Monkey team but he’s been a great addition. Josh joined the team in 2017 and says that cycling, especially with the Bike Monkey team, has changed his life. For Josh, it’s about balance. Cycling has provided Josh with an outlet to relieve stress and find mental strength and focus.

One of Josh’s favourite cycling stories is all about finding the opportunities that present themselves to us if we just open our eyes. Josh planned out a route from Blomidon to Cape Split using Strava and Google with his good friend Adam Mahoney. The plan was to make their way through this route and back but in the parking lot they bumped into an older gentleman who was very excited to tell them (with very vague directions) about a route that they might enjoy.

Now a lot of riders might pass on the opportunity, but not Josh. This self-proclaimed metalhead isn’t one to walk away from a challenge. The result? An incredible ride with scenic panoramas. The adventure, the new trail, the great story to tell and the chance to share the ride with a friend are the kinds of things that make Josh a great teammate.

In addition to loving all of his teammates and the unique qualities that each of them bring to their rides, Josh would love to have the opportunity to ride with Nino Shurter. Nino won the bronze in Beijing, the silver in London an the gold in Rio but more than his incredible accomplishments in the sport, Josh connects with the idea that he always looks like he’s enjoying himself, whether it’s during a grueling stretch or a casual ride. Again, it’s all about balance.

Speaking of balance, it’s fun when you have something pretty to balance on. Which is why Josh rides a Garneau Rytm. If you’re going to pedal your heart out, you might as well do it on something you love. For Josh, it equals about 8-12 hours a week of pedaling and over the past year he’s picked up his indoor routine so that when winter kicks in so hard that he can’t ride his fat bike either, he can still get his training in on his smart trainer setup. And besides, it’s easier to listen to Tool or Lamb of God when you’re indoors anyways. Whether it’s indoors or out, Josh loves spending time with his family; fiancée Amber and son Logan.

Josh looks forward to continuing to develop both as a rider and as a teammate and is grateful to have the support so many awesome monkeys in his corner.